Counting sheep

I met a friend for coffee this morning. We had arranged to meet in a country pub where we had been before - good coffee, deep sofas - but when we got there it was all locked up. We tried another pub a couple of miles away but again there wasn't a sign of life. Obviously coffee is off in January. Eventually we went back to an old favourite and got our coffee.
It had been a good ride around the Surrey countryside which looked so attractive in brilliant sunshine. There was still frost in places where the sun hadn't penetrated. I came home via Box Hill where you can still see traces of "Go Wiggo" and "Cav" painted on the road for the Olympic Cycle Race which went up Box Hill. The only sign of life near the Zig Zag today was these sheep which the National Trust employ to maintain the chalk downland. If we get the promised snow Box Hill will be thick with toboggans and skis at the weekend.